[Main page][Overview] Jump to subject: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= IC - In-Character/OOC - Out-of-character -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The abbreviation "IC" generally means "in-character" and is a term applying to all actions, commands, talk etc. applying to the game itself. The opposite of IC is OOC which means everything not really belonging into the game world or its mechanics. Chat channels, the @tell and @who commands are e.g. an OOC command while go, say etc. are IC commands. Note that most OOC commands are prefixed with the @-sign. You can use them without the @-sign, if they are unique (like e.g. @quit), but if a verb has both, an in-game meaning and an out-of-game meaning, you have to prefix them.
Good roleplaying means to do a clean seperation of IC and OOC. Talking in a room in the world about real world happenings might disturb other players. Also, applying out of game knowledge for in-game decisions is bad practice (e.g. attacking somebody because you know his stronger friend is not online right now - this is actually a form of cheating, because your "character" cannot know that his friend cannot help him right now) or using OOC communication facilities for IC purposes (like summoning help) is bad practice.